


Where the Mind is Without Fear

by ArgentSleeper



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 12:15:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4137138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentSleeper/pseuds/ArgentSleeper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur soon discovers that he can change the law, but not the heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where the Mind is Without Fear

**Author's Note:**

> (*Warning for the tiniest, briefest mention of possibly suicidal thoughts.)
> 
> This was written on my mobile in about twenty minutes and has not been beta'd, so please pardon any giant typos. This fic exists in a land where Arthur has just become king and Morgana never went evil. Fulfills the square "Hurt/Comfort" on my Merlin Writer's bingo card.

 

Arthur trudged dejectedly through the castle towards the northern watchtower. Were things this difficult when his father was king? He obviously hadn’t been around for the entire reign, but he didn’t think they possibly could have been. One would have thought allowing something would be far less hassle than banning something, yet if not for the massive benefits he was sure they were going to reap, he would have thought that Uther’s original decision to outlaw sorcery was perhaps for the best.

One of those benefits was waiting for him at his destination. When he first escaped the council chambers, he’d been afraid he would have to search the castle and perhaps even the surrounding woods to find his quarry, but within minutes one of the guards, working valiantly to hide his trembles, had informed him that there was a dark storm cloud enveloping precisely one of his towers.

Well, at least not _everything_ had to be so bloody difficult.

The impossible storm cloud might have been the focus of the guard, but what made Arthur’s heart leap out of his skin was the sight the cloud had hidden, a young man sitting in the window, legs dangling over the edge.

In a heartbeat Arthur was across the room, yanking him back to sprawl on solid ground before the man even knew he was there.

“Just _what_ do you think you’re doing? You’re going to get yourself killed, you idiot!”

Merlin didn’t bother to try to draw himself back to his feet again, instead scuttling back until his back was against the wall and he could draw his knees to his chest. He kept his eyes nailed to the floor. “Seems like I’d be doing you a favour,” he replied hollowly.

Arthur wanted to react violently, to shake Merlin and beat it into his thick skull that there were absolutely no circumstances on earth in which that was true and that if he ever so much as thought it again, Arthur would kill him himself. Instead he just sighed and dropped to the floor beside him.

“They don’t really mean it. They’re scared.”

Merlin snorted. “I know they are. Scared of _me_.”

“They’re scared of _change_ ,” Arthur protested. “It’s been more than a generation since the law was created. This same thing happened when I announced my intentions to marry Guinevere. No servant has married into nobility since… well, I don’t think _ever_. Just think how much more horrible they’d’ve been had I tried to name you consort. And new laws, especially _repealing_ laws, always indicate a period of instability in a kingdom. Other monarchies will be watching and waiting for the slightest sign of weak…” He cut himself off at the deadpan expression on Merlin’s face. “Fine. But can you really blame them? You aren’t exactly going to make friends with giant storm clouds.”

“Do you know what Will’s favourite game was? Back when we were kids?” Merlin didn’t wait for an answer, not that Arthur could give one. How should he know? And what did it have to do with anything? “Soldiers and sorcerers. Every day I would have to play the part of the evil sorcerer being defeated and humiliated by my best friend.”

What could Arthur say to that? He was just as guilty, though his game had been knights instead of soldiers. It wasn’t uncommon, even now. Until recently, Arthur would have been one of the people encouraging youngsters he came across in the lower town, one waving a stick and the other wiggling his fingers while shouting nonsense words. To him, it had been innocent, just a bit of fun to pass the time. To Merlin, it must have been torture. His struggle to stay alive turned into sport.

“When they came to recruit men for Cenred’s army, like Will’s father, I refused to leave my mother’s side for a month. I was sure they were going to come back for me. The first thing I saw when came to Camelot was a man being beheaded for sorcery. I’ve been accused and arrested for magic more times than I ever want to count, and one time I stood close enough to my own pyre that I’m pretty sure I saw my life flash before my eyes. I _know_ they’re scared, Arthur. But I am too.”

Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin and drew him close, letting Merlin bury his face into Arthur’s neck. “I will never allow anything to happen to you, you know that, right?” He murmured as he carded his fingers gently through Merlin’s hair. “You’re safe now. And if any of those old fuddy duddies has something to say about it, they can take it up with me.”

Merlin snorted a laugh into Arthur’s shoulder. “Fuddy duddies? Really?”

“What, you’re the only one who can use ridiculous words? Is that a sorcerer only thing I was unaware of?”

“It is,” Merlin agreed with a sniffle that Arthur kindly chose to ignore. “We have a moratorium on all words farcical or absurd.”

Arthur nodded with mock solemnity. “I’ll inform the kingdom. From now on you are officially the Court Sorcerer of Silliness.”

Merlin stiffened and pulled back as far as Arthur’s grip would let him. “I don’t want to be the Court Sorcerer. I want to be your servant.”

“Merlin, you’re supposed to be the greatest warlock who ever lived. Why would I give that job to anyone else when I know I can trust you with it implicitly?”

“But- but who’ll dress you and fetch your breakfast and muck your stalls and clean your room and polish your sword and–”

“ _Merlin_ ,” Arthur laid a hand gently over his mouth. “We do have other servants in the castle, very competent servants even. I’m sure at least _one_ of them would be happy to take care of their king.”

Merlin batted the hand away. “But _I_ was happy taking care of my king.”

Arthur couldn’t help himself; he drew Merlin in for a deep kiss. Merlin relaxed instantly against him, the tremors of fear finally fading away, though the taste of salt still lingered on his lips. It had been three years since they’d allowed themselves to give in and admit how much they cared about each other, but hearing it from Merlin’s incessantly mocking lips always stole Arthur’s heart.

“You could be so much more,” Arthur whispered as he pulled away.

“I was always more. You just know it now.” Merlin’s kiss-inspired smile faded away again. “And so do they. People will be watching me all the time to see if I’m using my magic to- to take over the world or whatever plots they’ve dreamt up against me.” He raised a hand to still Arthur’s protest. “Wouldn’t it be better to have someone else they can point to as having the power to reign me in? Morgana maybe. The people already know and love her. And she’s used to this whole nobility thing. I’m just a servant.”

“Not to me you’re not,” Arthur promised with another kiss. “You can keep your job if you insist, but only if you swear to remember that. And that _this_ ,” he gestured to the remains of the storm cloud outside the window, “stops today. It took ten years off my life seeing you up in that window.”

“I’m sorry.” Merlin ducked his head in shame. “I promise, never again.”

“Good.” Arthur allowed himself once last kiss on the forehead. “Now let’s go tell the fuddy duddies they have a much more terrifying prospect than you to worry about… You’ll seem like a kitten to them after three days under the will of Morgana.”

 

 


End file.
